Ye Made No Publishing Money From ‘Through the Wire’
“Through the Wire” helped introduce the world to Ye and became one of the most important songs of his career. But according to legendary producer David Foster, the rapper did…
“Through the Wire” helped introduce the world to Ye and became one of the most important songs of his career. But according to legendary producer David Foster, the rapper did not receive a single dollar in publishing money from the track.
Foster, a Grammy-winning songwriter, opened up about the situation during the Jan. 14 episode of And The Writer Is…. While speaking with host Ross Golan, Foster alleged that Ye was denied a publishing share of his 2003 debut single, even though the song played a major role in launching his career.
The track later appeared on Ye’s 2004 album The College Dropout and famously sampled Chaka Khan’s 1985 song “Through the Fire,” which Foster co-wrote alongside Tom Keane and Cynthia Weil.
“You have the sample that defines [Ye’s] career,” Golan told Foster. “‘Through the Wire’ is presumably the biggest sample of your catalog.”
“Yeah, it was massive. It felt great. A free round two,” Foster replied. “Funny story about that. I wrote that song with my friend Tom Keane, and the lyrics were done by Cynthia Weil ... And when Kanye’s camp is like, 'Hey, we want to use your song all the way through this record, and he wants 50 percent of the writing,' or whatever. I was like, 'OK.'"
Foster Was Willing to Split Credit
Foster said he had no issue with Ye asking for half of the writing credit. At the time, the rapper was quickly rising in popularity, and Foster believed sharing credit made sense.
Foster said he was willing to grant Ye the request because he knew the rapper was “getting really huge" at the time.
“I would’ve given it to him, would’ve given him half,” Foster said.
That plan, however, did not move forward.
A Co-Writer Shut It Down
According to Foster, co-writer Cynthia Weil strongly opposed giving Ye any portion of the publishing. She allegedly insisted that she, Foster, and Keane remain the only credited writers on the song.
“Cynthia was like, ‘F--- that. No, he gets nothing,’” Foster recalled. “So he got nothing. We still remain the 100 percent writers. Ain't that something?”
Foster described the decision as “bold,” especially considering Ye’s creative role in the track. Ye produced the “Through the Wire” backing track and wrote all of the rap verses himself. He also recorded the song while recovering from a serious 2002 car accident that left his jaw wired shut, a moment that became central to the song’s legacy.
A Hit Worth a Lot of Money
It is unclear how much Ye would have earned if he had received publishing shares, but the number would likely have been significant. “Through the Wire” is a platinum-certified hit that peaked at No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 8 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
The song’s success helped set the stage for The College Dropout and Ye’s long run as one of hip-hop’s most influential artists.
Past Tension With Chaka Khan
“Through the Wire” also caused tension between Ye and Chaka Khan. The singer previously said she was unhappy that Ye sped up her vocals for the sample. Over time, she came to regret her reaction.
“That was my fault, too, for feeling salty about that in any way,” Khan told Rolling Stone in 2023. “Because if I understood the rap game more completely, like I do now, then that wouldn’t have been a big deal to me… I’m done. Please. I’m not hanging on to any silly grudges.”
More than 20 years later, “Through the Wire” remains a defining moment in Ye’s career, even if the publishing story behind it is far more complicated than fans ever realized.
